Walking Away
by Wind'ssong-Water'scall
Summary: They only thing they ever wanted was exceptance, they just never thought they'd ever find it in each other. Warning this contains slash. AngelXander pairing.


Walking Away

Pairings: Angel/Xander

A/N: This story was betaed by the wonderful sublimatedangel. Warning this story contains slash.

Angel stood staring at Giles' door, holding Xander's hand. After being together  
for over two months now, they had decided it was time to tell the others. He  
wasn't sure how tonight was going to go but he had a feeling that no one  
waiting for them behind the door was going to be very happy. Giving Xander's  
hand a gentle squeeze, he stepped forward to knock on the door. It flew open to  
reveal an excited Willow standing there.

"Come on you two," she half laughed, half yelled. "Giles found this new tome  
and it's really really cool. It has all kinds of magic in it and..." For the  
first time, she looked down and noticed that they were holding hands.

"I...uh...yeah," She said before fleeing inside.

Xander and Angel exchanged a look of amusement before following her inside.  
Willow had moved to the couch and sat down heavily, avoiding looking at anyone  
and mumbling something about big big trouble under her breath. Angel assumed  
that she was talking about what would happen when Buffy saw the two of them  
together, and his gut clenched.

He didn't want to hurt Buffy. She was a really sweet girl, and part of him  
would always love her, but they were just not meant to be. He had known that  
the moment he got back from his trip to hell, but at first he had fought to  
keep their relationship alive anyhow. They had broken up over four months ago  
now, and he had thought of moving to LA, but something always seemed to hold  
him back. It took him a while to realize that he wanted Xander just as much as  
Angelus did and it was this desire that had kept him here in Sunnydale. It had  
taken even longer to convince Xander to give him a try.

Now that they had been together for two months and were sure they wanted to try  
for the long run, they'd decided to tell Xander's friends. Right before they  
moved to LA. Gathering up his courage, Angel pulled Xander forward to where  
Giles was sitting.

"Um... Giles?" Xander asked hesitantly.

"Yes Xander," Giles said without looking up from the page he was reading. It  
must have been the new book Willow had been so excited about.

"Well um... you see..." Xander tried, not sure what to say. Wondering what had  
Xander so speechless, Giles looked up. Choking slightly when he saw Xander  
holding hands with Angel, Giles rapidly took his glasses off and began to clean  
them furiously.

"Well... um yes, I see," Giles said, once he had the nerve to replace his  
glasses, understanding where the conversation was going by the mere fact that  
Xander was holding hands with Angel. Angel stood there giving Xander small  
encouraging smiles as they waited for Giles and Willow to regain their voices.  
Suddenly, the door swung open and Buffy rushed through it.

"Hey guys! I saw a new demon tonight, it..." She cut off sharply as she saw  
Angel standing there. Her eyes went from Angel to Xander to the place where  
there hands were clasped together.

"How could you?" Buffy asked in a rather small voice. They all stood there for  
a  
moment looking at each. Then her pain seemed to transmute to anger, slowly  
filling the small slayer.

_How could Xander do this to her? He knew that she still loved Angel, and it was  
his fault that he'd been taken away from her in the first place. She would have  
never had to send Angel to hell if he had told her Willow was working on the  
soul-restoring spell. Maybe if she hadn't had to do that, Angel and she  
wouldn't have broken up. She had been nothing but good and loving to Xander,  
and this was how he paid her back? By stealing Angel away from her? Well, she  
couldn't let that happen. If she couldn't have Angel, then she certainly wasn't  
going to let Xander, that back-stabber, have him.  
_  
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Buffy shouted suddenly, before launching herself  
towards a very scared looking Xander.

Quickly, too quickly for anyone to really see, Angel dove in front of Xander  
and took Buffy's hit head on. She fought with him furiously. Kicking and  
screaming, lashing out punch after punch. Finally, Angel wrestled her down to  
the ground, holding her so she couldn't move. Still panting and hissing, Buffy  
lay under Angel.

Giles and Willow, quite taken back by Buffy's behavior, had rushed to Xander's  
side. Taking a hold of his arms, they pulled him back out of the way. Now that  
things were starting to settle, Angel spoke up. "I guess now would be as good  
as any to tell you that Xander and I plan to move to LA."

Willow let out a small whimper and clung to Xander. Turning to his saddened  
friend, he whispered, "Shhh, don't worry Wills, you can come to see us anytime.  
I promise." Nodding her head, she pulled him closer as Giles spoke up.

"I won't say I'm happy with this arrangement. I cant say that I like the idea  
of you going off with Angel, Xander, but going to LA does sound like it would  
be best. I'll make sure to keep in contact and don't forget that we're here for  
you," He said, looking directly at Xander.

"Thanks G-man," Xander said, giving him a large smile.

Angel nodded and moved to slowly sit up, still keeping Buffy under a tight  
leash. Just about the time he was going to sit up fully, she lashed out again.  
Moving fast, he swung down his left fist, knocking her out. Getting up  
quickly, Angel looked down sadly at his ex. "I think it's best if we leave  
before she has a chance to wake up," he said, again moving to take Xander's  
hand.

"Yes, I think I rather agree," Giles said, patting Xander on the shoulder by  
way of goodbye. Xander smiled and moved to bring both Giles and Willow into a  
tight hug before stepping back and looking sadly down at Buffy. "I'm sorry for  
all the trouble, Giles."

"That's alright Xander," Giles said as he and Willow stood at his doorway,  
watching Angel and Xander walk away into the night.


End file.
